ScienceDaily: Fisheries News

Researchers search for best feed for the 'king' of the rivers

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:35:35 EDT

The red mahseer is highly sought after by anglers and high end restaurants. Breeding them may be a bit easier now that researchers in Malaysia have found the best feed combination.

Biophysicists measure mechanism that determines fate of living cells

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:37:37 EDT

For the first time, biophysicists have measured the molecular force required to mechanically transmit function-regulating signals within a cell. A new laboratory method, named the tension gauge tether approach, has made it possible to detect and measure the mechanics of the single-molecule interaction by which human cell receptors are activated.

Thinking 'big' may not be best approach to saving large-river fish

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:03:03 EDT

Large-river specialist fishes -- from giant species like paddlefish and blue catfish, to tiny crystal darters and silver chub -- are in danger, but researchers say there is greater hope to save them if major tributaries become a focus of conservation efforts.

Study reveals how fishing gear can cause slow death of whales

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:42:42 EDT

Using a "patient monitoring" device attached to a whale entangled in fishing gear, scientists showed for the first time how fishing lines changed a whale's diving and swimming behavior. The monitoring revealed how fishing gear hinders whales' ability to eat and migrate, depletes their energy as they drag gear for months or years, and can result in a slow death.

Why we need to put the fish back into fisheries

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:48:48 EDT

Overfishing has reduced fish populations and biodiversity across much of the world’s oceans. In response, fisheries are increasingly reliant on a handful of highly valuable shellfish. However, new research shows this approach to be extremely risky.

New era of fisheries policy needed to secure nutrition for millions

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:26:26 EDT

A new study argues that for fisheries policies to be effective they must take in to account not just fish stock conservation and environmental issues, but also research data on the patterns and dynamics of fish trade, markets and user consumption.

Paleontology: The eloquence of otoliths seen in a 23-million-year-old fish fossil

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:52:52 EDT

Fish fossils that are about 23 million years old give unprecedented insight into the evolutionary history of the gobioid order, one of the most species-rich groups among the modern bony fishes.

'Fish thermometer' reveals long-standing, global impact of climate change

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:15:15 EDT

Climate change has been impacting global fisheries for the past four decades by driving species towards cooler, deeper waters, according to scientists.

From ocean to land: The fishy origins of our hips

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:15:15 EDT

New research has revealed that the evolution of the complex, weight-bearing hips of walking animals from the basic hips of fish was a much simpler process than previously thought.

Fish oil may stall effects of junk food on brain

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

Data from more than 180 research papers suggests fish oils could minimize the effects that junk food can have on the brain, a review has shown.

Seabird bones reveal changes in open-ocean food chain

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:43:43 EDT

Remains of endangered Hawaiian petrels -- both ancient and modern -- show how drastically today's open seas fish menu has changed. Scientists analyzed the bones of Hawaiian petrels -- birds that spend the majority of their lives foraging the open waters of the Pacific. They found that the substantial change in petrels' eating habits, eating prey that are lower rather than higher in the food chain, coincides with the growth of industrialized fishing.

Scientists use satellites, underwater robot to study atlantic sturgeon migrations

Fri, 03 May 2013 23:03:03 EDT

Researchers are using satellites, acoustic transmitters, an underwater robot and historical records to pinpoint the ocean conditions that the fish prefer during migrations — and potentially help fishermen avoid spots where they might unintentionally catch this endangered species.

Boom in jellyfish: Overfishing called into question

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:47:47 EDT

Will we soon be forced to eat jellyfish? Since the beginning of the 2000s, these gelatinous creatures have invaded many of the world's seas, like the Japan Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, etc. Is it a cyclic phenomenon, caused by changes in marine currents or even global warming? Until now, the causes remained unknown. A new study exposes overfishing as the main factor.

Health defects found in fish exposed to Deepwater Horizon oil spill, three years later

Wed, 01 May 2013 14:51:51 EDT

Three years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, crude oil toxicity continues to sicken a sentinel Gulf Coast fish species, according to new findings.

First land animals kept fishlike jaws for millions of years

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:11:11 EDT

For the first time, fossil jaw measurements confirm that land animals developed legs millions of years before their feeding systems changed enough to let them eat a land-based diet. The pattern had been hypothesized previously, but not really tested.

Sushi for peccaries?

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:59:59 EDT

It turns out the white-lipped peccary —- a piglike animal from Central and South America —- will settle for fish when fruits (its main food) are no longer on the menu, according to researchers revealing the first-ever photos of fish-eating peccaries.

Sea surface temperatures reach highest level in 150 years on Northeast continental shelf

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:56:56 EDT

Sea surface temperatures in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem during 2012 were the highest recorded in 150 years, according to new research. Temperature is also affecting distributions of fish and shellfish on the Northeast Shelf.

Fish win fights on strength of personality

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:54:54 EDT

When predicting the outcome of a fight, the big guy doesn't always win suggests new research on fish. Scientists have found that when fish fight over food, it is personality, rather than size, that determines whether they will be victorious.

Why do guppies jump?

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:28:28 EDT

Pet guppies often jump out of their tanks. One such accident inspired a new study which reveals how guppies are able to jump so far, and suggests why they do it.

Fish was on the menu for early flying dinosaur

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:49:49 EDT

New research reveals that Microraptor, a small flying dinosaur, was a complete hunter -- able to swoop down and pick up fish.

Long-lost giant fish from Amazon rediscovered

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:11:11 EDT

Scientists have put aside nearly a century and a half of conventional wisdom with the rediscovery of a species of giant Amazonian fish whose existence was first established in a rare 1829 monograph only to be lost to science some 40 years later.

Something's fishy in the tree of life: Largest and most comprehensive studies of fish phylogeny

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:26:26 EDT

A team of scientists has dramatically increased our understanding of fish evolution and their relationships. The group integrated extensive genetic and physical information about specimens to create a new "tree of life" for fishes. The vast amount of data generated through large-scale DNA sequencing required supercomputing resources for analysis. The result is the largest and most comprehensive studies of fish phylogeny to date.

Ocean acidification as a hearing aid for fish?

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Scientists report stunning new insight into the potential effects of acidification on the sensory function of larval cobia. The study is the first to use micro-CT technology to examine otoliths while still inside the heads of the larval fish.

Fish prone to melanoma get DNA decoded

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:14:14 EDT

Scientists have decoded the genome of the platyfish, a cousin of the guppy and a popular choice for home aquariums. Among scientists, the fish are meticulously studied for their tendency to develop melanoma and for other attributes more common to mammals, like courting prospective mates and giving birth to live young.

Disappearing nannies force parents to accept their duties

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:24:24 EDT

Large helpers (nannies) in a cichlid fish allow the dominant male and female to reduce their personal contribution to their offspring and territory, according to new research.

The Rosette Agent: Monitoring a new threat in Britain's rivers

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:55:55 EDT

There are more than four million anglers in the UK and the sport generates an estimated £3.5 billion for the economy. But research has uncovered a new threat that could put many of the native fish species UK anglers rely on at risk.

Pollution: Learning the limits for marine species

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:55:55 EDT

Work by biologists and marine scientists over the past 10 years has covered such commercial resources as shrimp, scallops, herring and cod. Establishing tolerance levels for these and other species is one of the tools needed to determine how Barents Sea oil production can be pursued in an environmentally acceptable way. Tolerance levels are measured when a species is at the larval stage, the phase in its growth where it has the greatest vulnerability to oil pollution.

Goosefish capture small puffins over deep water of Northwest Atlantic

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:50:50 EDT

A recent study has shown that bottom-dwelling goosefish, also known as monkfish, prey on dovekies, a small Arctic seabird and the smallest member of the puffin family. To understand how this deep-water fish finds a shallow-feeding bird in offshore waters, researchers looked at when, where, and how these animals were most likely to be in the same place at the same time.

Unusual anal fin offers new insight into evolution

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:22:22 EDT

An unusual fossil fish that has fins behind its anus could have implications for human evolution.

The Snakelocks Anemone, a marine species prized in cooking, has been bred for the first time in captivity

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:43:43 EDT

Researchers have managed to breed for the first time in captivity a marine animal known as the snakelocks anemone and have also begun breeding a species of sea cucumber although this process is still in its initial stages. Both species have great culinary potential and possess excellent nutritional properties.

Chinese foreign fisheries catch 12 times more than reported, study shows

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:42:42 EDT

Chinese fishing boats catch about US$11.5 billion worth of fish from beyond their country's own waters each year -- and most of it goes unreported, according to a new study.

Tiny grazers play key role in marine ecosystem health

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:01:01 EDT

Tiny sea creatures no bigger than a thumbtack are being credited for playing a key role in helping provide healthy habitats for many kinds of seafood, according to a new study. The little crustacean "grazers," some resembling tiny shrimp, are critical in protecting seagrasses from overgrowth by algae, helping keep these aquatic havens healthy for native and economically important species. Crustaceans are tiny to very large shelled animals that include crab, shrimp, and lobster.

Putting larval cobia to the acid test: Potential resistance to increasingly acidic oceans by certain species of fish

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:48:48 EDT

Marine biologists have studied the potential effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of cobia (Rachycentron canandum).

Eating fish associated with lower risk of dying among older adults: Risk of dying from heart disease significantly lowered

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 18:15:15 EDT

Older adults with higher levels of blood omega-3 levels -- fatty acids found in fish and seafood -- may be able to lower their mortality risk by as much as 27 percent and their mortality risk from heart disease by about 35 percent, report researchers. Older adults with the highest blood levels of the fatty acids lived, on average, 2.2 years longer than those with lower levels.

Nothing fishy about it: Fish oil can boost the immune system

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:15:15 EDT

Fish oil rich in DHA and EPA is widely believed to help prevent disease by reducing inflammation, but until now, scientists were not entirely sure about its immune enhancing effects. A new report helps provide clarity on this by showing that DHA-rich fish oil enhances B cell activity, a white blood cell, challenging the notion that fish oil is only immunosuppressive.

Pirate perch probably use chemical camouflage to fool prey

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:59:59 EDT

Dark and sleek, it hides beneath the water waiting for prey. A researcher says the target will never know what hit them because they probably can’t smell the voracious pirate perch.

New fossil species from a fish-eat-fish world when limbed animals evolved

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:35:35 EDT

Scientists who famously discovered the lobe-finned fish fossil Tiktaalik roseae, a species with some of the clearest evidence of the evolutionary transition from fish to limbed animals, have described another new species of predatory fossil lobe-finned fish fish from the same time and place. By describing more Devonian species, they're gaining a greater understanding of the "fish-eat-fish world" that drove the evolution of limbed vertebrates.

Dusting for prints from a fossil fish to understand evolutionary change

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:41:41 EDT

In 370-million-year-old red sandstone deposits in a highway roadcut, scientists have discovered a new species of armored fish in north central Pennsylvania. Studying and describing this fish's anatomy, they took advantage of a technique that may look like it was stolen from crime scene investigators.

Lunar cycle determines hunting behavior of nocturnal gulls

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:30:30 EDT

Zooplankton, small fish and squid spend hardly any time at the surface when there's a full moon. To protect themselves from their natural enemies, they hide deeper down in the water on bright nights, coming up to the surface under cover of darkness when there's a new moon instead. Scientists discovered that this also influences the behavior of swallow-tailed gulls, a unique nocturnal species of gull from the Galapagos Islands.

Hope for Galapagos wildlife threatened by marine invaders

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:20:20 EDT

Increasing tourism and the spread of marine invasive non-native species is threatening the unique plant and marine life around the Galapagos Islands.

A marine animal to feed your eco-car

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:14:14 EDT

The marine animal tunicate can be used both as biofuel and fish food, according to new research. On the ocean floor, under the pier, and on ship ropes – that’s where the tunicates live. Tunicates are marine filter feeders that serve as bacteria eaters and as a foodstuff in Korea and Japan. But in the future they may become more prevalent. Researchers have found that a certain type of tunicate – ascidiacea – can be used as a renewable source of biofuel and fish food.

Losing wetlands to grow crops

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 20:18:18 EDT

Getting enough to eat is a basic human need – but at what cost to the environment? New research demonstrates that as their crops on higher ground fail due to unreliable rainfall, people in countries like Uganda are increasingly relocating to wetland areas. Unless the needs of these people are addressed in a more sustainable way, overuse of wetland resources through farming, fishing, and hunting will continue.

Acoustic monitoring of Atlantic cod reveals clues to spawning behavior

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:29:29 EDT

For decades researchers have recorded sounds from whales and other marine mammals, using a variety of methods including passive acoustic monitoring to better understand how these animals use sound to interact with each other and with the environment. Now, for the first time, researchers report using this technology to record spawning cod in the wild.

Seabirds need effective marine conservation in wake of discard ban, warns study

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:54:54 EDT

Conservationists have renewed urgent calls for effective marine protection in European waters, after a new study revealed that the recent EU ban on fish discards could have a significant short-term impact on some seabirds.

Archerfish get an eye test

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:32:32 EDT

A modified version of an eye test used to assess visual acuity in the military has been given to archerfish by scientists to help explain how these remarkable fish are able to accurately spit down tiny insects high above the water's surface.

Genetic analysis calls for the protection of two highly endangered Portuguese fish species

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:10:10 EDT

A chromosome study of the endemic Portuguese fish Squalius aradensis and S. torgalensis draws attention to their current status of highly endangered species. Rapid habitat loss in combination with ongoing geographic confinement and a poor genetic bank of the two species requires the fast application of specific conservation measures to preserve the integrity of their genomes.

Some Alaskan trout use flexible guts for the ultimate binge diet

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:32:32 EDT

The stomach and intestines of certain trout double to quadruple in size during month-long eating binges in Alaska each August. The rest of the year, the fish live off their reserves and their digestive tracks shrink. It's the first time researchers have documented fish gut flexibility in the wild.

Can a tropical water flea invade European lakes?

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:42:42 EDT

Daphnia lumholtzi is a small crustacean that lives in the tropics. This plankton-like creature is also an invasive species in North America -- and so far, it has never been detected in Europe's lakes and ponds. A possible invasion in Europe is examined in a recent paper.

Adoption and risk management in fish: how cichlids prevent their young from being eaten

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:11:11 EDT

For a variety of reasons, many humans choose to adopt children. More surprisingly, adoption is fairly widespread in the animal kingdom, even though it would seem to counteract the basic premise of Darwin’s theory of evolution, which suggests that animals should raise as many of their own offspring as possible. Understanding the rationale for adoption has challenged theorists for generations. Scientists now describe a new approach to the problem.

Discards ban could impact seabird populations

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:16:16 EDT

Species of seabirds could successfully return to their natural foraging habits following changes to European fisheries policies, scientists have suggested.

New fish species described from the streams of Manyas Lake basin, Turkey

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:34:34 EST

A new fish species, Alburnoides manyasensis, has been described from the Koca Stream drainage of Lake Manyas, Marmara Sea basin in Anatolia and is currently associated with only this specific locality. The new species belongs to the very large and widely distributed Cyprinidae family, which includes carps and the minnows and their related species. The study was published in the open access journal Zookeys.

'Climate-smart strategies' proposed for spectacular US-Canadian landscape

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:06:06 EST

A new report creates a conservation strategy that will promote wildlife resiliency in the Southern Canadian Rockies to the future impacts of climate change and road use. The report's "safe passages and safe havens" were informed in part by an assessment of six iconic species -- bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, grizzly bears, wolverines, mountain goats and bighorn sheep -- five of which were ranked as highly vulnerable to projected changes.

Stocking Florida bass in Texas reservoirs may alter stream systems connected to stocked reservoirs

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:16:16 EST

A genetic analysis by biologists suggests that the stocking of Florida bass in Texas reservoirs impacts bass populations far beyond the actual stocking location.

Robotic fish gain new sense: Navigate water currents and turbulence

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 08:42:42 EST

Scientists have developed robots with a new sense -- lateral line sensing. All fish have this sensing organ but so far it had no technological counterpart on human-made underwater vehicles.

Why fish is better than supplements: Omega-3s from fish vs. fish oil pills better at maintaining blood pressure in mouse model

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:45:45 EST

Researchers show how fish oils help lower blood pressure via vasodilation at ion channels. In vascular smooth muscle cells, such as those that line blood vessels, ion channels that span the outer membrane of a cell to let such ions as sodium, calcium, and potassium in and out, are critical to maintaining proper vessel pressure.

Fishers near marine protected areas go farther for catch but fare well

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:07:07 EST

Fishers near marine protected areas end up traveling farther to catch fish but maintain their social and economic well-being, according to a study by fisheries scientists. The study is one of the first to look closely at how protected areas in small nearshore fisheries can affect where fishers operate on the ocean and, as a consequence, their livelihood.

Why fish is so good for you

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:06:06 EST

Scientists have decoded the antihypertensive impact of omega-3 fatty acids. They analyzed the impact of omega-3 fatty acids at a systemic level and they also described the underlying molecular mechanisms for the first time.

Fish migrate to safer environments

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 05:16:16 EST

Research now reveals that fish can migrate to avoid the threat of being eaten. A new study shows that roach fish leave lakes and move into surrounding streams or wetlands, where they are safer from predators.

Fish migrate to escape predators

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:46:46 EST

By individually tagging fish in a lake and following their movements, a research team has shown that migration is a very effective defense against being eaten.

How much protection is enough?

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:56:56 EST

Protection of marine areas from fishing increases density and biomass of fish and invertebrates (such as lobster and scallops), finds a systematic review. The success of a protected area was also dependent on its size and on how it was managed, however even partial protection provides significant ecological benefits.